


The Altar of Love

by Isabear



Series: Summer Pornathon 2012 [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bottom Merlin, Episode Fix-it, Episode: s04e02 The Darkest Hour Part 2, Fuck Or Die, Getting Together, Lancelot Lives, M/M, POV Cailleach, POV Lancelot, Self-Sacrificing Lancelot, Summer Pornathon 2012, Team Gluttony, Virgin Lancelot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-22
Updated: 2012-06-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 23:51:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2366561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isabear/pseuds/Isabear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Cailleach wasn't interested in a blood sacrifice at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Altar of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Content Notes: Could seen as dub-con for both parties in that the "save the world with sex" trope is the intro, though everyone is enthusiastically on board before any touching happens.

"I know that you want!" Prince Arthur cried.

The Cailleach blinked. "Do you?"

"I am prepared to pay whatever price is necessary."

When Prince Arthur hit the ground with a thud, the Cailleach sighed. Really, these _boys_.

"So, Emrys," she murmured, eying the two who were left, "what did that youngling Gaius tell you this time? A unicorn's hoof? Dew gathered on a mountaintop at dawn on Samhain?"

"A blood sacrifice," Emrys declared, chin jutting out in anger.

_Dear me_. How ridiculous these Roman educations could be.

"I am the goddess of winter," she replied flatly. "By earth and stone, why would I need another life? I collect thousands every year."

Emrys blinked, confused. "But then, what-?"

"But a _virgin_ sacrifice," the Cailleach purred. "Those I don't see every day."

"I'm not- not a virgin," Merlin admitted, ears going red.

The Cailleach smiled and turned, catching the eye of that handsome young knight who was trying to sneak past them. "One is enough, I think."

The knight's eyes widened.

~~~~~

The altar was rather small. Lancelot shifted, then spent several more breaths reassuring Merlin that it was _fine_ , really, he didn't need a goosedown mattress for his first time. Though the threat of the prince or Gwaine waking up did have his heart going _pitter patter_ in his chest. Or perhaps that was the sight of Merlin, shirtless, rising above him like a selkie from a dark ocean. Around them, the night air shivered with fae laughter.

"Well, this isn't awkward or anything," Merlin muttered, trying to hide his peaking nipples with one hand. "Can we take it as given that I could do better if we weren't being watched through an open portal between worlds by various unnamed dead people?"

Lancelot felt his cock begin to wilt. "Not helping."

Merlin looked down. "No, ah. I suppose not."

"But Merlin." Lancelot had to say this. He had to say this _now_ , or he would never build up the courage again. "I would have done it. For you."

Merlin looked puzzled.

"The veil," Lancelot explained, or tried to. "I meant to go through it. While you were distracted."

Merlin's eyes widened; he blanched. "No! No, Lancelot. You-" 

He dove down, seemingly out of words, and kissed Lancelot so fiercely it stole his breath. 

"You are not," Merlin said forcefully against Lancelot's stubbled chin, "to ever even _think_ about letting yourself die. Never. If Gwen wouldn't kill me, Arthur would, and if they both missed I'd still hate myself forever. You-" and now his nails were digging into Lancelot's shoulders, "-are not expendable. I don't know where you got that cocked up idea, but all the people who love you? Want you to live. That's kind of the way people are."

Love? Oh. _Oh._

"And would-" Lancelot cleared his throat "would you happen to be one of those people who wants me to live?"

Merlin's blush was almost as bright as his grin.

~~~~~

"Merlin," Lancelot gasped. "Merlin, please!"

Sweat slicked Merlin's pale chest as he lifted himself, eyelashes fluttering in pleasure, and drove his body back down to meet Lancelot's hips, which stuttered helplessly. Merlin's mouth was a dark O, rimmed by the bitten red of his lips. Lancelot clutched at his skin, hands roving, and still he could not touch enough, hold tight enough. His cock twitched helplessly in Merlin's hot, clenching hole. It was too much, and not enough.

"Merlin," he whimpered, pleading for mercy. And Merlin gave it to him, pinning them both down to the rapidly-warming altar and rocking his hips in delicious circles.

"We could have been doing this for _ages_ ," Merlin gasped. "Ages and ages - oh!"

Lancelot didn't say he'd been saving himself for love. It felt rather foolish in hindsight.

"Please," he whispered again, hoping Merlin understood the layers of meaning in that simple word.

He seemed to understand at least part of it, because he leaned forward, pressing his palms to Lancelot's shoulders and pinning him down, rocking faster and faster, his knees clamped to Lancelot's sides like burning brands.

"Now," Merlin hissed, "now, now, now - oh!"

Lancelot's world tightened down to the heated points where Merlin's skin touched his, then shivered loose into white that left him breathless and aching.

~~~~~

Neither of them noticed when the ~~great vagina~~ veil closed, quietly, with an air of smugness. 

**Author's Note:**

> Created for Summer Pornathon 2012 challenge #2, "Fuck or Die".
> 
> This work was created as a deliberate parody of the trope of matchmaking female characters in slash fic, so if it's a little weird, well, I'm not that great at parody. I was just getting really tired of my favorite characters dying. Really tired.


End file.
